The Delivery Driver
by ForeverKnown
Summary: After an accident and a financial situation leaving her without a vehicle, a pizza delivery driver manages to get a replacement and continue on with her merry life. But things go sour when, after a year, her 'car' has some deceptive ghosts of the past ruin the peace. Now they're both being investigated and held by the government and things aren't looking too good for them.
1. Chapter 1

The Delivery Driver

Chapter 1: The Second Interview

(Because the first one was a disaster).

"Why don't you tell us how long the decepticon has been in your possession? That seems like a good place to start." the rough voice cut through the silence of the room, causing her to nearly jump. He had been silent for nearly 15 minutes after arriving, observing her as she fidgeted in obvious anxiety and distress.

It was hard to focus on the uniformed man, the many medals decorating his collar reflecting the already blinding lights focused on her. The metal cuff around her wrist connecting her to the table clattered lightly as she moved it, trying to keep herself from fidgeting further under his seemingly patient gaze. It was bad enough that the room had no mirrors or windows for her to distract her attention to, but the cameras beeping every now and then positioned in the corners of the ceiling made the room seem tiny and hard to breath in.

How long had she been in the room before someone had decided to come speak to her, again?

The previous man that had given her a visit in the room had terrified her and was definitely less willing to hear her side of the story, constantly cutting her off as he quickly attempted to piece together the conclusions he had come up with. It left her in tears and unwilling to say anything while he became more aggravated.

She had refused to speak and suited man had left in a flurry of angry, snarling curses then proceeded to slam the door on his way out.

"Miss Harper?"

The voice startled her as it cut into her thoughts. Making eye contact with the man across from her, she tallied off the months in her mind.

"It...uhm…was..."

After another moment of silence, the woman turned her focus back to the handcuff.

"About a year ago, after my car accident."

Memories of the accident were something she definitely had been trying to bury in the deepest part of her mind. Nightmares plagued her for months and were worsened when her co-workers had made jokes in an attempt to lighten her mood after noticing the growing dark circles under her eyes.

"And...he's not 'Decepticon'. He has a name..."

"His designation is Shar-"

"No, it's Marco."

The man's eyebrow hitched up curiously when she cut him off. "Marco?" He repeated and leaned forward to rest his hands on the table.

She really didn't appreciate her current situation as much as she appreciated that this man was more willing to work with her and take her feelings into consideration. She was terrified enough of everything that had happened over the week and all she wanted was to go home and sleep. But even that seemed impossible now and she could only let her fear and anxiety wear her out every moment she had been stuck in the white room.

Had the other man still been in the room, she was sure he would have cut her off, or even laughed at her for saying such a thing.

"Marco." she replied while twisting the metal cuff.

"Alright then. Marco. Is there anything else you'd like to add before I continue?"

A brief shake of her head was all she could muster at the moment.

"We are still needing the full story from your side." The man continued. "I'm sure you're aware, but my team is trying to piece together the circumstances and details aren't adding up. Marco-" he said the name slowly, watching the woman make eye contact with him for a brief second before returning her attention to the table she was attached to. "has been unwilling to cooperate at the moment and we were hoping you would be able to give us some insight as to what all is going on, here. Is there a reason he's trying to hide?"

Another shake of her head, but this time more forceful than before.

"He's as scared of you as I am." She told him in a polite yet shaky tone, earning another raised eyebrow in response. "When Marco saw that he injured one of your soldiers and the Autobots attacked him, he panicked. "

"The injuries were minor and no one was killed, if that's what you're getting at."

"It's still something that shouldn't have happened."

"Miss Harper, the actions of my men are what started that fight. That's not something you should be trying to take the blame for. We didn't understand your situation and I'm the one who should be apologizing. It's what put you and Marco on the Autobot watchlist."

Her fidgeting continued as she quietly mulled over her thoughts at the words. Yes, the man was right. Had those soldiers and mechs understood what had been going on at the time, they would have most likely approached her in a far safer and appropriate manner rather than waving their weapons around.

"Now that I've made that clear, I'm willing to hear what happened whenever you're ready to speak. Let's start with obtaining Marco, alright? How did he end up in your possession after the accident?"

There had been another few moments of silence, followed by a heavy sigh from the woman as memories came back to her once more.

* * *

It had all started after she was released from the hospital with a heavy cast on her arm; a fractured elbow, bruised ribs and a dull throbbing ache in her body was the only reminder of what had happened.

Despite the pain, Audrey Harper had managed to get a ride to her mechanic in order to oversee the damage done to her car and (hopefully) approve the needed repairs. She had spent her earlier hours arguing with her sister about returning to work and needing her car. They was a mess of aggravating words being thrown at each other, as her sister wanted her home and resting as soon as possible.

But Audrey didn't want that.

"I can't stand sitting cramped in an apartment all day." Was the argument she used, but in reality she needed to distract herself from the darker thoughts that plagued her mind whenever she had time to think to herself. The last time she had remembered the accident, the horrifying reaction to the memories had left her physically suffering.

Breathing would become difficult, walking or any type of movement made her sick, and the walls would suddenly move in closer whenever her thoughts wandered to the accident.

The whole experience felt during the accident and remembering it terrified her more than when the news had been filled with reports of incoming Decepticon attacks over the world a few years back.

Audrey barely tolerate being in a vehicle as her co-worker drove down the highway. He thankfully seemed to understand that she didn't want to spend any longer in a car than needed and turned the 30 minute trip into 15 minutes, blaring music as loud as possible to help keep her mind off of the passing buildings.

It had taken a lot more self control than she thought to keep from stumbling out of the car as soon as they pulled into the parking lot. Every ounce of her willpower was put into keeping herself from breaking into a panicked fit when her seatbelt wouldn't come undone. Luckily her coworker was quick to free her.

"Does your arm still hurt?" He inquired, giving the cast on her right arm a light poke.

She didn't respond, instead deciding to distract herself with her keychain that once held her car keys.

"You should say so if it does."

More silence as he opened the door open for her and a welcomed blast of cool air hit them both.

A man behind the counter looked up at them both, his dark hair messily covering his eyes as he chewed on a toothpick. His eyes landed on Audrey's cast and the toothpick dropped from his mouth.

"Oh _wow._ " He said in amazement. "After that entire mess, all you could managed in injuries was _that_?"

Judging by the tone in his voice, Audrey guessed that the damage done to her car had ended up being worse than originally thought. She had avoided looking at pictures that her nurse tried showing her, reminding her constantly that she was really lucky. Her parents called it a miracle but Audrey was quick to ignore their insight, constantly trying to tell them that she really was just lucky and to drop the discussion. The faster she forgot the accident, the faster she could get back to her life as if it had never happened.

"Please don't gawk like that, Glen." she told him, ignoring her coworker when he headed for the soda machine in the corner of the room. "I just came to see if...anything survived."

Glen was quick to avoid contact as he ran a hand through his mess of hair.

"About that, Audrey...I know I always brag about how I can fix anything." Glen started, and Audrey already knew what he was going to say.

"Your little trooper of a car didn't make it. All of the bolts for the engine are snapped, the entire frame on the right side is crumpled, your back seat was practically devoured by the trunk getting smashed in, your passenger seat is occupied by the transmission…"

Audrey's mind started wandering as he continued listing off more components that were either ripped out of place and moved elsewhere or burned to a crisp.

The escape of a wandering mind allowed her to focus on a more important matter and distract herself, and it made her heart drop knowing that she would have to find a new vehicle within the next few days with money she didn't have. This kind of situation was something Audrey had always dreaded; she needed a car to be able to work for money, but she needed money in order to get a car in the first place. Asking for a small loan was out of the question despite already being offered one by several other family members and close friends. She already owed them for several small loans that were used for groceries and helping make the last bit of rent on some months.

Before Audrey could continue with her thoughts on her situation, Glen handed her a clipboard, different than the one with the damage report. The first assumption was that there were forms needing to be signed for insurance purposes.

And her brows furrowed when she read over them in detail.

"You sold my car for scrap and used the money as a down payment through your shop?" She asked, her voice almost breaking in confusion and disbelief. Instead of Insurance forms needing to be signed, a neatly typed out agreement letter stared back at her, stating that she would agree to pay back the amount of the car's repairs within the next 3 weeks. It even included a warranty of the vehicle that covered some basic repairs, check ups, and a small warranty that lasted for 2 years.

Glen seemed more than pleased with himself at Audrey's reaction and pulled a set of keys from his pocket with a knowing smile. "I know you're picky with cars, and it turns out I've got the perfect replacement for you in my lot. Plus, I owe you and thought this would be the best way to return the favor."

"You're a very sneaky man, you know that?" the woman all but squeaked at him.

There was no way she could turn this down! Her dilemma and several other problems would be solved with just a quick signature.

"Can I see the car before I sign?"

* * *

"And you had no idea at the time that the vehicle you had received was of the cybertronian nature?"

"No. Glen knew for sure, but I had no clue and was desperate enough for a vehicle that I hadn't noticed anything strange until a few weeks later."

The man sitting across from her leaned back in his chair thoughtfully to go over what she had told him. "So Glen knew he could knock out two birds with one stone." He said, more to himself. "On one hand he had an unregistered mech in his possession that he was offering assistance to, and on the other...he had you needing a vehicle."

Audrey continued to avoid eye contact, her fidgeting only noticed when it caused the cuff to rattle lightly. What Glen had done was completely illegal now that she thought about it, and she was caught up in another issue that the government could add to her growing list of charges against her. It was unnerving, but she understood why he had done it.

"In Glen's defense, I wouldn't have been given Marco if he were dangerous." She added in hopes it would help lighten the man's view of her friend. "I don't know how Marco ended up with Glen in the first place, but I'm sure the intentions didn't involve taking over the world or enslaving humans and the like."

"And how would you have known Marco's intentions?"

The question left her confused and Audrey lifted her gaze to focus on the man.

"How do you know that it wasn't all just an act? How were you certain that this mech wasn't any danger to you or anyone else? Had you even thought that maybe he had threatened Glen for assistance and you were his lucky ticket to freedom?"

"Of course I had thought of it." She countered defensively. The tone he had used for his questions was polite, but she couldn't help but feel that her own common sense was being insulted or at least put down in some way. "It was the first thought that had crossed my mind when I found out Marco wasn't a normal car."

A gruff came from the man.

"He was just as terrified as I was." Audrey bit out as she pulled at the cuff keeping her attached to the table.

Memories were coming back to her once more, though these were lighter than before. The day she had started suspecting Marco wasn't a normal vehicle always had a light-hearted feel to it.

* * *

Windows rolled all the way down, music playing over the rush of wind, and the smell of wet grass were all welcome experiences for the day as Audrey activated the cruise control in her new vehicle. Her next delivery was 9 miles down the road, giving her some time to relax and get off her feet for the first time in a few hours.

It also led to thoughts of how grateful she was to Glen's agreement. The 2006 Mitsubishi Evolution was the perfect size car to begin with, respectful amount of mileage, and Glen had even offered to do a few adjustments for her to be able to drive the car despite the cast hindering her driving ability. She wasn't knowledgeable when it came to the specifics of cars, so the adjustments were welcomed and appreciated on levels that couldn't be put into words.

Despite being a manual transmission, shifting gears felt flawless; being able to shift with an easy push of her fingers helped keep pain to a minimum and was worth the occasional engine grumbling when the clutch wouldn't go down to the angle she wanted. Audrey had to learn to drive with her left hand, which had been awkward at first but Glen had made an adjusted to where she didn't have to struggle rotating the wheel enough to make those annoying 90-degree corner turns.

And who could forget the amazing gas mileage? An extra $50 in the pocket every night was a wondrous thing, especially when a full tank lasts a week!

There were other additions that she enjoyed almost as much as the added convenience of maneuverability. Compared to her previous car, going over speedbumps and railroad tracks with a sleeping niece in the back seat was a breeze and Audrey would sometimes go over them as fast as possible to see if it would jostle the back seat….but to no avail.

The car had bluetooth, ad-free radio, the perfect air conditioning that never seemed to fog the windows despite humidity levels…

Of course, the best part of all of the additions were definitely the seat warmers..

Audrey had nearly fainted when Glen pointed out the seat warming function, which worked wonders for her aching muscles after a long day of work. She didn't have to take the prescribed muscle relaxants and it was the best feeling in the world to be not only pain free, but also free from the dizziness and mind-numbing drowsiness.

If there was one thing she could change when she got the money though it would definitetly have to be a fresh paint job.

Glen had explained that the car's owner had passed away and it was abandoned on the side of the road. He had also explained that the hood, bumper, and right fender were white instead of the original black color of the car because someone in his shop had thought the lancer was in the lot for parts instead of repair and hauled off what they needed. There were also areas where it looked like someone had ripped off little bits of the car for whatever reason, but Glen had said he would sand those out for free at the next maintenance check.

"You know, I think this may be my last run for the day." Audrey said out loud, happily turning where her GPS was sending her. Speaking to herself had been a recent occurrence; it seemed to be the only way to keep herself from thinking back onto the more negative events that landed her in her new vehicle. There were moments where she had even resorted to yelling or mumbling to herself in public and the results were embarrassing, leading her to escape into her car many times.

"Tonight's the night. I feel I can finally give you a name. I'm sure I'm not the only person to have named a car, but I have to yell _something_ when you do start to break down on me."

The usual silence other than her music was the only response.

* * *

Of course, her shift had been extended a few more hours as the store suddenly received a swarm of orders. Delivery times had been set back to an hour, customers were unhappy, the managers making pizzas were stressed out, and the drivers were doing their best to keep the mess some-what organized in order to prevent errors. Overall, the entire experience had worn everyone out and mood levels were dropping into the foul range once things showed no hints of slowing down. Even Audrey was doing her best to bite back her tone as a co-worker (dubbed Portland by one of the managers) pushed her aside in a rush, causing her to drop the soda she'd pulled from the cooler for one of her deliveries.

She was thankful it hadn't exploded. That mess would have sent her, and possibly several others, over the edge.

There wasn't much that could be done other than grab a fresh soda and then hurry out the door to get away from one of the managers yelling at her to be careful. Just as she was about to go through with the action, Portland rushed right back into the front door, his face bright red and his shirt dripping with a dark liquid as he held a half-empty soda bottle in his hand. "Harper! Next time remember to close your damn door!" He all but screeched while moving to get to the back of the store, most likely to grab a quick spare shirt.

Of course a few of the other drivers found it hilarious, quickly quieting their laughs when a manager yelled over them to get back to work. Audrey could only raise an eyebrow, confusion obvious on her face as she passed through the front door to be on her way.

 _I don't know why I would leave my door open_ was the thought as she moved the customer's order into her passenger seat. Just to be sure, a quick check of all the doors confirmed they were closed completely. As an added measure, all but the driver door were locked.

"You put me behind in my delivery time, Harper! Thanks a whole fucking lot!" Portland snapped at her while moving to his driver side to put the new soda into the back seat. Audrey held back her own anger and had meant to tell him to drive safely, but her words were caught in a gasp at the back of her throat when her rear passenger door flew open of its own accord.

Portland has just finished closing his own door when it happened, and the door hit him with enough force to send him face-first into the pavement.

* * *

The man across from her tapped his fingers on the table, the sound echoing loud enough to where Audrey had to pause in her story.

"You know, that sounds an awful lot like an assault." His voice told Audrey in a tone that made her feel uneasy. She could even see the positive light that the man had of Marco was starting to slip away. "An unregistered mech, originally a decepticon, assaulting a human." He added, though more forcefully. It only made it harder for her to give the man eye-contact and left Audrey anxiously twisting the cuff on her wrist multiple times. It wasn't doing anything to calm her nerves.

It wasn't until the man pushed his chair back a few moments later to stand did she realize that her heart was racing.

Moving towards the door, he paused briefly before opening the door.

"We're done for today. I'll send someone to escort you to a temporary room for the evening."

"Is it possible for me to go home soon?"

Another pause, followed by a silence she had been dreading.

"There doesn't seem to be any current indication that you'll be able to return home at all, Miss Harper."

* * *

Time spent Writing: 4 hours

Time spent Editing : 3 days (not all in one go, mind you.)

Pretty sure the plotline will be revealed, or at least make more sense, in chapter 3. Chapter 2 will be more filling in descriptions of the world and some of characters, as well as adding in a few more bits of the plotline.

I'm just wingin' it at this point.

You don't have to review if you don't want to, but if you have any sort of criticism (even flames) please let me know. It will give me something to learn from and let me know if I'm doing anything wrong.

Thanks for reading.


	2. Chapter 2

The Delivery Driver

Chapter 2: Marco Polo

(No, not the human)

* * *

"Matthew Norbrick McGinity. Survived fighting alongside Optimus for _all four_ wars, sixty three years old, well decorated and has quite the shiny bald head. I heard that's how most of the battle-worn know he's coming from across the base. When they screw up, it's like a shining beacon of light in the distance, warning them of the incoming danger of being scrapped where they stand."

"How poetic."

"You think he waxes it?"

"For _that_ kind of shine? I think he oils it."

"The status book says he'll be heading here, soon. I'm going to ask him."

"Thanks for warning me."

A rumble was heard, followed by an annoyed burst of static that echoed throughout the hangar which had been cleared out completely save for the three vehicles parked in the middle. The first two cars, Lamborghini Venenos, sat with the third car wedged between them. Great care seemed to have been made in their positioning as there were barely millimeters to spare on either side and compared to the size of the lamborghinis, the Lancer Evolution was neither comparable nor as vibrant in color. The engine belonging to the red lamborghini rumbled slightly, the wheels turning left and right insistently.

"Hey, he actually likes me."

"Feel free to test that theory when he gets here."

Movement from the red lamborghini stopped after that comment. " You _do_ know he recommended me for his special forces group, right? Out of 15 mechs."

"And yet you're stuck here 'Con-sitting."

Despite the lack of movement of either vehicle, a sulking kind of air could be felt before both the red and yellow lamborghini's wheels deflated. Static-like groans could be heard from both vehicles, one sounding more irritated while the other seemed to just be completely bored. They had both been in the hangar for nearly three days and nothing seemed to be happening anytime soon regarding their current guest. The smaller car between them hadn't budged at all. No movement, responses to their interrogations, jibes or insults. Even when the yellow lamborghini's engine revved dangerously no signs of flinching or fear could be seen.

Some time had gone by in silence with nothing more to say out loud other than snide retorts and babysitting jokes at each other in a private communications link. Both of the vehicles were beginning to rumble, one in irritation and one in hilarity until red lamborghini chimed in about how a human was nearby the hangar's door.

No sooner had the announcement been made, a rattling of chains was heard followed by the scraping of metal as mechanisms became active, slowly sliding the hangar doors open and letting in rays of moonlight.

Almost immediately the red lamborghini reacted with a loud rumble of its engine and pulled away from the other two as a human stepped through the doors and approached them. Once the doors had finished closing, the man cleared his throat and the lamborghini stopped in front of him.

"Do you have anything for me, Sideswipe?" The man asked, his brown eyes squinted to help them adjust to the brighter light of the hangar. Dust from his dark green uniform fell to the floor when he brushed it off gently before crossing his arms. The medals decorating his collar were also slightly dirty but he left them as they were. His focus was now moved onto the little lancer.

In what seemed like a rushed action the red lamborghini let out a loud rev of its engine before the vehicle's plating broke apart in a burst of movement. The sounds of shifting metal, wires and squeaking of joints filled the air as parts snapped into place until what stood before the man was a bi-pedal being covered in cherry red armor. An arm moved into a salute once the transformation had finished. "You'd think so but I don't." Was the reply as faceplates posed into a frown.

"Sunny and I bothered him all day and night but not a peep. Are you sure his status is still active? Maybe he deactivated on you before he was towed in here."

"I was hoping to get some excitement out of this." The yellow lamborghini added in more of a mumble as it too began a transformation, though more slowly compared to the first mech. Once finished he took one of his pedes and pushed it against the Lancer next to him.

Despite being nudged, the vehicle made no movement or sound. Even when the nudging became more insistent, taking off some paint in the process, nothing happened.

McGinity stood there and tapped a finger against his chin thoughtfully at the predicament he had been presented with. It had been nearly two days since he had spoken to the woman brought onto base, Audrey, even though he had told her that the questioning would continue soon. But her story and words had left him both confused and curious about her 'friend' that sat in front of him. The government wanted the ex-decepticon under close watch and confined until the situation cleared up, but that left everyone with more questions than answers when Marco had taken to his vehicle form and stayed there.

Much to his dismay, the mech had to be towed into the hangar by an unhappy Ironhide and guarded by the Twin Terrors.

"Sunstreaker, stand aside." McGinity stated firmly as the mech's nudging had become forceful enough to nearly tip the lancer off of its side wheels.

The mentioned mech's optics focused on the man, faceplates set into a sneer and body posture rigid.

But he obliged to the request and moved to stand next to his brother.

Sideswipe knew Sunstreaker had been in a grouchy mood, so the reaction had been expected. His sibling held a large amount of respect for McGinity; he was the only human on base that could get Sunstreaker to actively follow orders with only a grumble or occasional frown. With the Autobots it was easier for them to deal with Sunstreaker's occasional complaint of having to follow orders in the first place, but the mech held a deep hate for humans and seemed hell-bent on making them miserable whenever he deemed fit.

The twins exchanged their own grumblings or irritation over a personal communications link and focused on each other rather than the human approaching Marco in slow steps.

"I've heard plenty about you, you know." McGinity said in a steady voice, ignoring the loud clank of metal hitting metal behind him followed by a jibe from Sideswipe hidden in the static of cybertronian language.

All attention the human had was put onto the lancer as he stood in front of it, daring to stand just barely a foot away from the bumper. With the range of closeness he was able to see more clearly the many scratches, dents and scraped paint over Marco's hood. It seemed like damage any other human vehicle would have gone through, which puzzled McGinity. Usually a mech's systems would naturally heal any cosmetic damage done but the vehicle in front of him carried many signs of wear and not a single sign of repair.

McGinity traveled around the vehicle slowly while noting every strange scratch or markings that shouldn't have been there to begin with. He only stopped when he reached the trunk and frowned at the sign of a mangled Decepticon insignia.

It looked as if something had tried to claw it off of the metal but only partially succeeded; gray metal scars contrasting greatly to the black of the car's black color. The broken insignia's remaining bits glared back at him, almost angrily, and he turned to continue his round of the lancer. He stopped once again in front of the bumper though closer than before.

"You're not helping anyone by being silent."

A few moments passed with no response but there had definitely been no silence as Sideswipe and Sunstreaker had started bickering out loud about why they should or shouldn't use oil instead of wax on their armor.

"Marco. A response is necessary."

He made an attempt to put his hand on the hood of the lancer, but it rolled backwards away from him just out of the reach of his fingertips. The movement itself wasn't much, but it made the twins stop their bickering entirely..

The silence was a bit unsettling to him, and McGinity couldn't fathom a reason as to why.

Not pulling back his outstretched hand he stepped forward again. Whenever he would come within reach, Marco would roll back again until they were only a few feet from the hangar's back wall. All McGinity could think of was his achievement of getting close enough to try and put a hand on the hood.

But his plan went in the complete opposite when the lancer exploded into a transformation sequence in front of him. The action itself was so sudden that it left him frozen in place with Sunstreaker and Sideswipe letting out startled yells. Judging by the rush of metal on concrete they were running towards him.

They were telling him to move, making it highly likely they took the movement as a threat and were aiming for Marco but McGinity refused to move.

His instincts were all but screaming at him to stay still, and the moment Marco's transformation sequence ended he was glad he had done so.

The twins had even stopped their rushed advance.

Crouched in front of them was a mech much smaller than they had all originally expected. So small that even the plates of armor on the arms and legs seemed far bigger than the body they covered; the wheels were larger than the mech's own head, and the doors placed on the back scraping against the hangar wall seemed more like hulking masses of metal rather than sensor arrays. And to add onto the shock, almost every visible component of the body looked absolutely _horrid_. There didn't seem to be any major damage, but everything looked so worn and fragile it was a wonder as to how Marco survived not only a Decepticon attack, but also a scuffle with the Autobots.

And he was _cowering_.

Vibrations from the mech shaking so hard could be felt through the concrete floor.

McGinity was at a loss for words at not only Marco's condition but the sheer look of _terror_ on the mech's face when he moved to make another step forward.

"Sir. We need to leave him alone until Ratchet and Optimus get here."

The words snapped McGinity out of his amazed stupor and turned his attention from Marco to the twins. Sideswipe started to fidget, almost nervously, while Sunstreaker looked the mech over slowly. Any sort of irritation seemed to disappear from his faceplates completely and was replaced with a neutral stare.

It was another instance that had left McGinity feeling uneasy.

Questioning the statement was not something he would do, either. So he put his back to Marco and moved to stand near Sideswipe. "We're in so much slag, now." He heard Sunstreaker say in a flattened tone, his brother's fidgeting increasing.

"Ratchet's going to reformat us into microwaves when he finds out we've been threatening a youngling."

* * *

However much time had passed while waiting wasn't known, but it had felt like a long while before McGinity could feel the familiar rumbling of a powerful engine through the concrete beneath him, signalling that Optimus was definitely here. The doors once again began to open, a giant flame-painted peterbilt patiently waiting until it could fit through before pulling forward. A few seconds later, Ratchet in his bipedal form walked in. Judging by the sounds of loud buzzing, he had put his scanners at their fullest capacity when he spotted the cowering mech at the far end of the hangar. Instead of immediately moving towards Marco however, he stood in place near McGinity and Sideswipe.

Optimus was the one moving towards Marco.

And Marco didn't seem too willing to let the truck get any closer, feebly holding his arms outstretched in hopes that it would stop any further movement towards him. But it didn't, and the truck continued on its own course.

Only when there was a few feet between them did Optimus choose to stop his advancement. "When was the last time you had a routine maintenance done to your systems?" He asked, making Marco flinch. Whether it was out of instinct or fear wasn't clear. The gentle Autobot was more focused on getting the young mech in front of him to calm down and prevent his systems from being strained further, thus causing more harm to any damage that Marco may have.

Judging by the white edges of Marco's optics and loud keening of his internal systems revving up after Optimus spoke, he was in flight rather than fight and more likely to do the exact opposite of calming down.

"I'll wait as long as I have to for a response." the Autobot leader added after a few moments when Marco hadn't responded to him.

"Give her to me, first."

McGinity nearly jumped when the scratchy static of a voice sounded throughout the hangar, Marco's tone more fearful than demanding.

"I know you brought her here! Give her to me!"

"Answer me, first."

The sheer terror on Marco's face slowly started to morph into something along the lines of agitation as he made the demand again, flipping his outstretched arms over expectantly. When Optimus made no move to give in to the demand, a burst of angered static echoed through the room leaving Sideswipe mentioning in the background how much it reminded him of Sunny when they were smaller.

It earned a prompt hit from Sunstreaker's fist and an irritated "Shut up" from Ratchet.

McGinity was more relieved than anything, strongly preferring the more lively and irritated Marco compared to the shivering mess he had been not even a few moment ago. Marco repeated his demand several times but Optimus only continued to deny the smaller mech from what McGinity could only guess was Audrey. The human soldier was glad that Optimus had a level a patience with Marco that far surpassed his own.

Though, he felt a little less than happy when he realized what Optimus had done was pure genius; Marco was attached to the human woman. So it would have only made sense to have found some way to bypass the security level access to bring her along. It's not likely that they would have tried to escape once they were reunited since the pair were transported to their base on Diego Garcia.

In the middle of the ocean.

A plan so simple and yet McGinity hadn't even thought of it.

"Give her to me!"

Judging by the shrillness of his voice, Marco was getting more and more impatient, only resorting to a louder tone when Optimus threateningly started to roll backwards away from him. After more distance was put between them, the look of determination began to wither back into fear and Marco moved forward. "My last maintenance was four and a half years ago!"

And without missing a second, the passenger door snapped open.

Audrey's feet hadn't even touched the ground before Marco moved forward with such speed to grab her, McGinity had heard the mechs near him prime up their weapons for firing. But the noise quickly withered away when Marco moved from their leader, Audrey in hand. The woman looked both disorderly and bleary-eyed as he sat against the wall with her coddled against him in a protective and possessive manner. "Did they hurt you? Did they starve you? Were you treated humanely?" Marco asked quickly as he looked over the human in his hands as Optimus began to transform.

The large mech didn't seem too happy as he glanced over at Ratchet with a color flashing through his optics.

"Marco, you have to calm down." Audrey managed to get out while rubbing her eyes slowly.

"They took you away from me!"

"Marco, please calm down."

"Are you in any pain? Do I need to deactivate them?"

The dangerous snarl from Marco's vocaliser left McGinity shocked. Once reunited with the human it was as if the shivering mech from before was completely gone; the red optics that suddenly focused on him left him feeling in danger. But just as the feeling made itself known it disappeared when Audrey put a comforting hand on Marco's arm, drawing to her his full attention. The anger and fury were gone, replaced with concern and worry for the woman he held.

Instead of answering him, Audrey only rubbed the damaged metal on Marco's arm and let out a heavy, half-hearted sigh. The others in the room were forgotten though they observed curiously optics flickered and Marco sagged against the wall looking defeated.

"I'm sorry. You're tired, aren't you?"

"That's very likely. I interrupted her recharge in order to bring her here."

Optics snapped up to stare at Optimus. It was only for a brief moment before Marco once again returned his full attention to Audrey.

"Marco. Will you tell us your story?" Came the gentle tone. "Audrey won't be taken from you again, but there are concerns we have. At least give us _something_ to work with. Without it, we won't be able to get you the help you need."

A slow nod was all the response Optimus needed before he motioned Ratchet forward, giving Sideswipe and Sunstreaker permission to leave and return to their normal duty roster. McGinity excused himself, following the two eager mechs out of the hangar.

He needed a cigarette and the last thing he wanted was Ratchet giving him a lecture for it.

"Ratchet is our Chief Medical Officer. He'll be checking your systems as you and I speak to each other. Is that alright?"

Optimus could tell that the medic was impatient. Judging from the scan results being shared with him, things weren't looking too well for Marco but if they moved in too quickly they'd risk a fight or flight response as they had before.

And now that Marco had Audrey in his possession, they weren't willing to risk either situation.

Another slow nod.

"I'll just be doing a few checks on your internal systems. Don't mind me." Ratchet gruffed out, taking extra care to move slowly and position himself next to the younger mech. He could easily see that Marco was unhappy with the closeness but tolerated it, quietly grumbling his thoughts to Audrey who only shook her head in response.

"The last time I had maintenance done was after my creator and I landed on Earth. Four and a half years ago...but after the First War, we separated."

"Did you make any attempt to return to your creator or the Decepticons after that?"

Marco seemed to be caught off guard by the question and gave Optimus a long stare.

"No. Instead I enjoyed the freedom and being alone. At the time I never liked Earth nor the humans...and the First War left them with an overall terrible impression of Decepticons. More cybertronians were coming to Earth and registering themselves as inhabitants; many of which who would be more than willing to turn me over to the authorities if they had discovered me. It wasn't until I ran into Glen did I realize how much danger I had really put myself into."

* * *

There seemed to be no end to the rain that week.

People scrambled for shelter when the heavier rain started to fall, homeless pets huddled underneath trees, and one lone vehicle sat in the parking lot near a playground. The day had barely started and already it was looking as dreary as yesterday.

Earth wasn't interesting on days like this.

Shortstop hated days like this.

At least when it wasn't raining he could have found entertainment in the human children that wandered into the park. Their screaming of excitement as they went around the structures was something that he preferred over the lonely silence.

Even though he tended to get bitter at their happiness.

His creator practically burned survival training into his processor, constantly reminding him that age isn't something that matters in a war. The only things that mattered were survival and deactivating those you didn't like. Smiling human children had something that Shortstop had wanted more than anything and that was the freedom to enjoy themselves. To do what they wanted even with their parents watching close by, to have friends and comrades that genuinely cared about each other's well-being.

During the time he had managed to get away from his creator, Shortstop had found out how difficult obtaining these things he wanted, were. Yes he had the freedom, but only to an extent. Neutrals and Autobots were everywhere; then there were Decepticons that wanted to see him ripped apart.

Especially after he turned his back on them during the First War.

It's not as if he had wanted to fight in the first place, and he sure as hell didn't feel ready to throw his spark out into battle for a cause he didn't agree with.

No, Shortstop didn't care much for Earth and its current inhabitants but it was either abandon the Decepticon cause or get turned into scrap by an Autobot. None of those options were what he wanted, but Shortstop was stranded.

He could still remember Barricade chasing him down for weeks before the Decepticon finally gave up and disappeared with the others after the Autobots won the First War.

It was a time of happiness for those involved with the victory.

The Allspark survived through the war, humans and Autobots began to co-exist, more and more Cybertronians were migrating to the little planet as months went by. The Second and Third wars started in the following years, caused by the Decepticons when they decided to re-group and dump a black hole near Earth in hopes to destroy the planet or have the humans give into their demands.

Amazingly, their plans backfired in the worst way possible, and part of the moon had been destroyed in the process of the Autobots beating some common sense into the Decepticons.

Shortstop thought the moon looked much better with a chunk of it missing, anyways.

The rain started to fall harder, irritating the mech further while he mulled over his own thoughts as to what should be done now.

Sometime around the end of the third year of leaving his creator, the Fourth War had started. Despite efforts from both Autobots and humans to prevent it, the Decepticons had managed to get their hands on the Allspark.

Which ended up being terrible for Cybertronians on Earth since the Decepticons also managed to destroy it. It sparked multiple Decepticon-hunting campaigns that Shortstop had nearly been caught up in, and mechs all around Earth were in a race to find if any pieces survived.

But any pieces that may have survived were nowhere to be found.

It was awkward since mechs whose sparks had been blinked out of existence during the previous wars started popping up on Earth.

Things got even _more_ awkward for the Autobots when they had to explain to the human government as to why they needed a boat to go pick up mechs they had laid to rest in the middle of the ocean.

For the Decepticons however, there was a lot of bad energon going on in the ranks when deactivated mechs from their side started to reappear. Shortstop remembered hearing how Megatron had a lot to say to Starscream after the mech had quite literally stabbed him in the back.

Multiple times.

Mechs who were brought back started slowly converting themselves into the Autobot ranks, more for wanting to have a viable excuse to live on Earth safely while having full permission to tear their old Decepticon comrades new exhausts.

The Fourth War was more of the Decepticons ripping each other apart and the Autobots only stepping in when human safety was an issue. It had only ended when Megatron slipped and ended up deactivated when the human government got fed up with the fighting and took matters into their own hands. It had taken plenty of bullets and an inactive volcano, but Megatron was put down and the result had left Decepticons fleeing anywhere they could.

After that, Earth put up a strict 'Shoot On Sight' policy for Decepticons, and anyone whose tips led to a Decepticon kill or capture were rewarded.

Which brought Shortstop to his current predicament.

He had managed to scrape off most of his emblems but whenever his systems healed the wounds, they would just reappear (although colorless). In order to be rid of them, he'd have to either burn them off then paint over, or rip off the armor plates and abandon them somewhere….

Again.

There were already three plates of armor he had to abandon and replace with a lesser quality metal, something he had dealt with far more easily than originally thought. What he wouldn't give to have armor plates that didn't feel like dead weight on his body, but it was something he couldn't avoid for now.

 _This minor inconvenience is only temporary._ Shortstop would tell himself constantly despite being lost on what to do.

If he returned to the Decepticons he would be deactivated, registering as a Neutral would leave him vulnerable to human laws should they find a reason to call him a threat, and if he went to the Autobots they would deactivate him for sure. And deactivation was not an option.

Shortstop felt he was far too young to get snuffed out of existence in such a way, especially with the life he'd lived so far and had been currently given.

Sometimes he would forget how young he really was. And then Earth always had some sort of cruel reality check for him as a reminder…

Especially now.

He couldn't remember exactly what had made him decide to leave the parking lot when the evening came along other than a strong urge to just _move_. Shortstop had attempted to ignore it but there had been no other reason to remain where he was, so he obliged to the feeling and pulled out into one of the streets.

In doing so, several events were chained together in such a way for the young mech that would eventually land him somewhere more promising than an Autobot brig.

A human had been moving slowly on the sidewalk and Shortstop, trying to find some sort of enjoyment in the wasted rainy day, enjoyed zooming by with enough speed to splash the man with a puddle of water sitting in the road. The human had ended up being completely drenched.

There were yells, curses, and near screams of anger as the man flipped Shortstop the bird. It wasn't until he pulled up to a stop light later did he remember the man. How he had even snuck up behind the mech still puzzled him to this day.

There was a flash followed by the snapping of a picture, leaving Shortstop frozen in his spot despite the light having turned green. His sensors were going haywire trying to find out what was going on.

He found the human, standing behind him both sopping wet and panting angrily with his phone pointed towards Shortstop's trunk. Only when did he hear the man curse under his breath did the mech realize that his freshly repaired insignia was seen.

And the man took off running in fear.

Which then led to Shortstop finally processing his situation and taking off after the human. It definitely wouldn't be the first time he had ended someone for discovering him and there was no way he'd let this one get away.

The chase had lasted fifteen minutes longer than Shortstop wanted.

He was irritated, nearly screeching his tires angrily when he thought he had lost the human for the fifth time. Only when his prey turned into an empty parking lot did he find the opportunity to get enough speed to catch up, speeding around the fearful man and cutting off his means of escape behind the building.

Neither of them moved, the only sound over the pouring rain being Shortstop's engine revving a dangerous yet wordless threat to the man.

It was not a moment later did the younger mech decide to end it all and put every ounce of his engine's power into getting his tires to move at full speed. The screeching of tires trying to find purchase on the wet concrete echoed sharply over the empty parking lot.

The same screeching sounds multiplied tenfold; as soon as Shortstop had found momentum to move forward he had slammed on the brakes after seeing what the human had pulled out of his pocket.

"If this is what you want you can have it!" The man yelled at the vechilce in front of him, waving the little device he had used to snap a picture out in front of him. "I'm not letting myself get killed over a picture!"

On the outside, he seemed calm and collected but Shortstop knew better; the human was terrified and practically begging to live. It wasn't the first time a human had begged to live, but it certainly was the first time a human had offered up the evidence in place of their life. Rather than clinging to it as if it were a lifeline, this human was willing to give it up.

"Look, man. I won't say a word to nobody! You can have the phone! I know you transformer-things like your privacy and I'll respect that!"

 _He's seen the insignia_ the thought darkly murmured across the mech's processor when he watched the man toss the little device onto the ground hard enough to crack the screen and cause the battery to fly out.

"Doing that is meaningless, human!" Shortstop snapped over the noise of his own engine and rain, making the man jump nearly out of his own skin. "I know you saw it! You think I'm just going to let you walk away alive and report me to the Autobots?!"

"I can help you stay off the grid!"

"I don't trust you and your attempt to sway me!"

"And I don't trust you but at least I'm trying here, you shit-head!"

But the promise of help while in hiding was an offer he hadn't expected. Humans who had associated themselves with unregistered mechs ended up in a lot of trouble with the human government. Shortstop couldn't begin to fathom what the human would go through should he be found with a _Decepticon_. There were too many unknowns to factor in with the sudden offer.

 _What do I have to lose if he is telling the truth and can help me?_

Shortstop moved across the parking lot to sit across from the man and his voice snarled through with a static burst of anger over the rain. "It will be easier if I just end your life right now, you little insect. What would you possibly gain from assisting a Decepticon? Or maybe you plan on turning me over to the Autobots the moment you find an opportunity to!"

"I own a body shop about an hour from here." The human replied, fighting to keep his voice steady when the car jolted forward in response. It was a threat to his life that he never thought he'd be dealing with. "Okay, okay! Can you _not_?!" He managed to yell, nearly falling backwards when the vehicle only repeated the threatening gesture.

"You have thirty seconds to convince me before I decorate the parking lot with your brain matter."

* * *

Once the human had started rambling on about what he could do to help the mech, Shortstop had almost forgotten that he had set a time limit and continued on with questioning the man constantly, testing his knowledge on the matter at hand.

Apparently the human had helped several other mechs who had the same problem he had. Couldn't go to either side, didn't want to be bothered, didn't want to be deactivated.

The assistance was also too good to be true; the human had mentioned certain strict rules had to be followed in order for him to help Shortstop get what he wanted.

Deep care and consideration would have to be taken while making a decision to put his spark in the man's hands. Would the rules be worth it in the end? Should measures be taken so Shortstop can get away if the human ends up betraying him?

Firstly, if he were to agree to let the human live he would have to be temporarily held in the man's body shop. That alone was suspicious, but it's where his remaining insignias could be removed and any other basic maintenance a human could do would be taken care of. Two birds with one stone in that situation.

Secondly, which was the least favorite of them all, he had to be paired with a human for some time. That meant he would have to go through a 'training process' to not only get used to having a human with him constantly, but to learn how coordinate so it would seem like the human was 'driving' him. Shortstop would also have to condition himself to staying in his vehicle mode for unknown lengths of time. Months, possibly even _years_.

Most of the rules after that were made to limit communications, interaction with Earth's internet, and other things that would potentially pose as a red flag.

Shortstop didn't think those rules weren't as important as the second one.

"If I were to let you live then cooperate, I will be able to do as I please once this….'training' is done with?" He asked curiously. "Once I can separate from the human I'm paired with, I will be free?"

The human nodded.

"You'd be free so long as you don't start murdering humans or attacking other mechs."

A silence passed between them, the human getting nervous while the mech mulled over his options.

The car suddenly lurched forward after a moment, closing the distance it and the human and slamming into the man's hips.

He went face-first into the hood and let out a painful wheeze, the car pulling away slowly to let him land into a puddle on the ground.

"Consider this a promise, then. Next time you call me shit-head I'll squish you. Now show me where your base is."

The only response was another breathless wheeze.

* * *

Time Spent Staring At A Blank Page Hoping Words Would Happen : **3 Days**

Time Spent Actually Writing This Chapter : **1 Days**

Time Spent Screaming At Poor Editing Skills : **4 Days**

Time Wasted On Knitting Instead Of Writing : **Far Too Much**

Thank you so much for reviewing, guys! It gave me a lot to think about, and I definitely did my best to work out the few kinks you pointed out. It was a huge help!

Yes I know. The Marco towards the end of the chapter is far different than the cowering thing mentioned earlier in the chapter, but there are reasons for that. The next chapter will be based around Marco's relationship with Audrey and will reveal why. I also don't like using the word 'youngling' even though that's what he is...I still refer to him as smaller mech. If it's confusing for you I'm sorry.

Don't worry, I'm not spoiling much by saying that.

And no, this isn't a fanfic where the lil human gal is whisked away by the Twins from her current lover into the sunset. There will be no human/mech love going on, here. Sorry to disappoint. The Twins are my favorite, so it would have been a mortal sin not to include them.

Also it was a pain editing this, but I still feel like the whole chapter is rushed and could have probably been...more descriptive and flow-like. Could I have your thoughts on the story progression?

Thanks for taking the time to read this and if you have any questions, ideas, or critique that you're willing to share, please let me know!


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